The present invention relates, in general, to fluid sealing means for pressurized fluid systems and, more particularly, to gaskets for locomotive air compressors.
The compressors employed in airbrake systems used in locomotives generally have air pressure connections having rectangular flanges with gaskets clamped therebetween. A prior art flange and gasket as employed in a locomotive air compressor is shown in FIG. 1. The flange 10 includes a port 11 for fluid communication with an air conduit (not shown). Flange 10 has a plurality of holes 14 to accommodate bolts for attaching flange 10 to a similar flange (not shown) which receives the compressed air. The prior art gasket 12 is compressed between flange 10 and a second flange (not shown) by tension in the bolts to prevent air loss between the flanges. A plurality of holes 15 are provided for the bolts. The air pressure in port 11 presses outward on inner edge 16 of gasket 12. This pressure is sufficient to cause tensile stresses at regions 18 and 20 of gasket 12 and compressive stresses at region 22. These stresses tend to cause failure of gasket 12.
In one aspect, the present invention is a gasket for a fluid system containing a pressurized fluid. The fluid system includes a first rectangular flange having a first port for communicating the pressurized fluid to a second port in a second rectangular flange. The first flange is attached to the second flange by a predetermined number of fasteners passing through first flange fastener holes in the first flange and through second flange fastener holes in the second flange. The gasket consists of a sheet of deformable material enclosed within an outer periphery. The outer periphery defining outwardly extending portions with concave segments between adjacent pairs of such outwardly extending portions. The gasket has a plurality of gasket fastener holes disposed in the outwardly extending portions. A central opening is disposed within an inner periphery of the gasket. Such inner periphery is curved toward the central opening. The central opening enables passing the pressurized fluid from the first port to the second port. When the gasket is assembled between the first flange and the second flange to seal between the first flange and the second flange and the fluid system contains the pressurized fluid, a pressure of the fluid exerted on the inner periphery of the gasket is at least in part reacted by hoop tension in the gasket.
In another aspect, the present invention is a fluid connection for connecting a first fluid passage in a first pressure containment structure to a second fluid passage in a second pressure containment structure. The fluid connection has a first flange having a first port. The first flange being for attachment to the first pressure containment structure so that the first port is in fluid communication with the first fluid passage. The fluid connection also has a second flange having a second port. The second flange being for attachment to the second pressure containment structure so that the second port is in fluid communication with the second fluid passage. A gasket is disposed between the first flange and the second flange to seal between the first flange and the second flange. A plurality of fasteners compress the gasket between the first flange and the second flange. The gasket has a central opening defined within an inner periphery of the gasket, the inner periphery being curved toward the central opening. The central opening provides fluid communication between the first port and the second port. The gasket has a plurality of outwardly extending portions having gasket fastener holes enclosing the fasteners and it has an outer periphery having concave portions between adjacent pairs of the outwardly extending portions so that an area of the gasket is substantially less than an area of the first flange and is substantially less than an area of the second flange.
In another aspect, the invention is a compressor system for supplying compressed air. It has at least one pressure connection having rectangular flanges and a gasket clamped between the flanges to prevent air loss between the flanges. The gasket has a round central opening and a periphery with concave portions.
It is therefore one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a gasket for locomotive air compressors which is less prone to failure than prior art gaskets.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a gasket for locomotive air compressors which resists air pressure by hoop tension in an inner portion of the gasket.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a gasket for locomotive air compressors which eliminates localized stress concentrations.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a gasket for locomotive air compressors which does not rely on friction between the clamping flanges to react the forces due to pressure on the gasket.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved combination of flange and gasket for pressurized fluid systems which provides high clamping pressures on the gasket.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a gasket for pressurized fluid systems in which stresses in the gasket due to the fluid pressure are minimized.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a gasket for pressurized fluid systems having square flanges in which stresses in the gasket due to the fluid pressure are minimized.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a gasket and flange combination for pressurized fluid systems in which the clamped area of the gasket is minimized to increase clamping pressure.
Yet an additional object of the present invention is to provide a gasket and flange combination for pressurized fluid systems which presents a smooth continuous surface to the fluid to reduce turbulence in the fluid.
In addition to the various objects and advantages of the present invention which have been generally described above, there will be various other objects and advantages of the invention that will become more readily apparent to those persons who are skilled in the relevant art from the following more detailed description of the invention, particularly, when the detailed description is taken in conjunction with the attached drawing figures and with the appended claims.